Vascular testing method

• US 5,766,130 A
• Filed: 12/12/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carlos A. Selmonosky
• Original Assignee: Carlos A. Selmonosky
• Inventors: Selmonosky, Carlos A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YARNELL, BRYAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/762,690
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 128/672, 128/677-683, 128/688, 128/685, 600/485, 600/490, 600/491, 600/492, 600/494, 600/500, 600/501
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1073 Measuring volume, e.g. of limbs

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for vascular testing for diagnosing circulatory and secondary nervous disorders. The method allows a non-technical person to rapidly plot blood pressure and/or volumetric blood flow wave forms from a plurality of separate digits and/or extremities of a patient. The change in circumference of each body part correlates to the amount of blood flow through the body being measured. The wave form may then be analyzed by a physician for the purpose of identifying abnormalities or disorders in a patient.

Claims

1. A method for vascular testing for diagnosing circulatory and secondary nervous disorders comprising the steps of:

providing a vascular testing device having a plurality of pneumatic cuffs;

fitting each of said pneumatic cuffs over separate body extremities;

pressurizing each of said pneumatic cuffs to an initial pressure and maintaining said pressure in each of said cuffs for a predetermined period sufficient to monitor a volume of blood flow in said extremity;

monitoring an internal pressure of a respective of said cuff resulting from blood flowing from said extremity while maintaining pressure in each of said respective cuffs;

sensing pressure fluctuations within a respective of said cuff resulting from blood flowing through said extremity;

producing an electrical signal representing the pressure fluctuations within a respective of said selective pneumatic cuffs;

displaying data corresponding to said pressure fluctuations representing the volumetric flow of blood through said extremity;

repeating steps d through g for each respective extremity until the blood flow through all monitored extremities has been monitored; and

comparing the volumetric flow of blood from each extremity for diagnosing circular or secondary nervous disorders.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting one pneumatic cuff from said plurality of pneumatic cuffs for sensing the pressure fluctuations within that respective cuff wherein said pressure fluctuation results from blood flowing through said extremity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes placing said plurality of pneumatic cuffs over fingers of an individual.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said pneumatic cuffs are simultaneously inflated to a predetermined pressure from a pressure source.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein data corresponding to each pneumatic cuff represents the pressure fluctuation within each cuff resulting from the volumetric flow of blood through a corresponding extremity as displayed by said display.